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Re: Why is everyone up in arms about rebuilding the defense?

Originally Posted by Iscull

I like a lot of your suggestions.
1. Although Phillips was just signed by the Eagles, I would like to have a vet FS on the backend.
2. Mathieu is going to be a MAJOR playmaker. If we are re-building this defense, we need someone like him who can really change the momentum. The bonus is that he does it w/out bone-jarring hits which is something the league is trying to move towards.
3. We need a top 5 ILB from the draft along with an FA (Pray for Brad Jones) . I don't trust McClain.
4. Love the Jenkins pick. An athletic speed rusher in the mid-rounds would be a perfect compliment to Upshaw and replacement for Kruger.
5. I agree with the selection of a big DT in this draft. It's a deep class and I bet someone falls to us in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

Re: Why is everyone up in arms about rebuilding the defense?

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Look, I have kept mum on most of the sky is falling business around here but I am going to break it down.

I will miss Q and any and all of the Ravens who either move on to greener pa$ture$ or are cut by the team. I forgot whom it was that stated the new plan of how the team will build around a franchise QB like New England does, but they were right.

I would like to add to that notion. It has been argued here on another thread that Harrison would be a bad pick up because he is a dirty player. Fair enough. But that type of play, the hitting and trying to dislodge the ball with a "BIG HIT" is going to be going away. Just like the rules have changed from 12 years ago from the Ravens record setting defense, it will evolve in the next 12.

The NFL is fast becoming the arena league. It is all going to become about passing and stopping the pass. WR and DB's are going to be interchangeable pawns with speed. You'll get the occasional anomaly at tight end, but on the whole, there ill be no more "big hits" it is going to become about sure tackling and ripping the ball away from the ball carrier. Hence, players like Pollard are going the way of the dinosaur. Even Ray Lewis is going to be remembered as people think of Butkus and what he got away with decades ago.

The offensive and defensive lines are going to become premium places of cost and action after QB's. This will be one of the last places the game really changes and it will evolve in the way of illegal chop blocks from the o-line and less leeway for defensive line players on hitting the quarterback as is already ever present.

Five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, it is going to turn into almost flag football. Even running back has been devalued over the years. The ability to catch is almost as important as it is to run - Ray Rice/Reggie Bush. This again like the tight end still has a places for players like AP. But overall, this is the progression of the game.

It is my belief, that based upon the evolution of the game, suggestions of the competition committee, the problem with concussions and safty as well as Roger Goodell's comments about making the game safer draw me to this conclusion: Ozzie Newsome thinks along these lines and is building a team to reflect the evolution of the game.

Think outside the box my friends.

I do not remember ever agreeing more.

The Ravens have to rebuild the defense and the roster to have a shot of repeating or improving on the last five years. Our guys got a ring and most of them will get good coin elsewhere. I am very interested to see what happens next, but also am more confident than ever that the team knows what they should do.

Re: Why is everyone up in arms about rebuilding the defense?

Originally Posted by Iscull

I agree with the selection of a big DT in this draft. It's a deep class and I bet someone falls to us in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

I think the Ravens could wait until the 4th or 5th round and end up with one of these guys - all with flaws, but all with upside (that may be the best to hope for in a mid-rounder, and all three are huge):

Re: Why is everyone up in arms about rebuilding the defense?

Originally Posted by alien bird

I think the Ravens could wait until the 4th or 5th round and end up with one of these guys - all with flaws, but all with upside (that may be the best to hope for in a mid-rounder, and all three are huge):

Yeah, I threw in early selection because it would mean we'd be selecting someone to contend for a starting position. We would be able to do so if we got a great deal in trading out of the first, which I hope we do. All we really need is someone to come in and be a good run-stopper on 1st and 2nd downs. Hopefully, Mount Cody steps it up.